Festival of Ideas, Royal Academy
The Festival of Ideas returns with a host of influential speakers – from artist Grayson Perry and children's author Dame Jacqueline Wilson, to Young Vic artistic director Kwame Kwei-Armah
Festival of Ideas, Royal Academy
The Royal Academy (RA) prides itself on being a place of lively debate. Last year, the venue hosted its first ever Festival of Ideas – an event designed to be a meeting of great minds spanning the cultural spectrum – and this spring it returns, bringing with it 10 days of electric discussion. The festival, which runs from 2 – 6 May this year, once again takes place between the RA’s Clore Learning Centre and Benjamin West Lecture Theatre, and most events are followed by an audience Q&A. Here are the Festival of Ideas 2019 highlights to book now.
Grayson and Philippa Perry
Grayson Perry and Philippa Perry in conversation
Thursday 2 May | 7PM – 8:15PM
Artist Grayson Perry is in conversation with his wife, psychotherapist and author Philippa Perry, discussing the relationship between art and psychotherapy – and the common misconceptions surrounding both. The event is being chaired by the RA’s Artistic Director Tim Marlow.
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Ken Loach
Friday 3 May | 12:30PM –1:30PM
Award-winning director Ken Loach joins writer and critic Francine Stock to talk about his 50-year career and the widely differing reactions that his films – including The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) and I, Daniel Blake (2016) – have provoked.
Read more and book
Dame Jacqueline Wilson
Friday 3 May | 4:30PM – 5:30PM
Former Children’s Laureate Jacqueline Wilson is one of Britain’s best-loved children’s authors. Known for her contemporary stories that tackle serious topics including adoption, divorce and mental illness, she speaks to children directly about real issues. Here she talks to BBC arts correspondent Rebecca Jones about the secrets behind creating her memorable characters and why she’ll never stop writing.
Read more and book
Kwame Kwei-Armah, artistic director of the Young Vic
Artistic director of the Young Vic: Kwame Kwei-Armah
Friday 3 May | 6:30PM – 7:30PM
Kwame Kwei-Armah had spent decades working as an actor, director, writer and producer before he was appointed artistic director of the Young Vic in 2018. Here, Kwei-Armah talks about his commitment to promoting greater diversity in theatre, his passion for storytelling and the positive role that art can play in troubled times.
Read more and book
Rewriting the past: Sarah Dunant and Kate Mosse
Saturday 4 May | 1:30PM – 2:30PM
Two of the UK’s best-selling historical novelists discuss their very different approaches to their exploration of the past. Sarah Dunant is the author of several novels set in Renaissance Italy that explore women’s lives through art, sex and religion; Kate Mosse is the author of the multimillion-selling Languedoc Trilogy.
Read more and book
Designing a best-selling children’s book: Lauren Child and David Mackintosh
Sunday 5 May | 10:30AM –11:30AM
For the past decade, author, illustrator and Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Lauren Child, has collaborated with designer David Mackintosh on some of Child’s best-loved books. In this event, the pair take the audience through specific scenes in Child’s popular Charlie and Lola series, revealing how her early storyboard ideas are transformed into beautiful books.
Read more and book
Lauren Child and David Mackintosh
How the education system is crushing creativity: Michael Rosen
Sunday 5 May | 12:30PM – 1:30PM
Michael Rosen is one of Britain’s best-loved children’s authors. He was the children’s laureate from 2007 – 2009 and is best-known for We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. A poet and the author of 200 books, he has recently published his memoir So They Call You Pisher!. Here, Rosen examines how the education system is strangling the arts.
Read more and book
The Future of Feminism
Sunday 5 May | 4:30PM - 5:30PM
Leading feminists and writers Yomi Adegoke, Laura Bates, Candice Carty-Williams and Natalie Haynes discuss what it means to be a woman in the in the era of Trump and #MeToo, and how they see the future of feminism.
Read more and book
Michael Palin: art on the small screen
Monday 6 May | 5:30PM - 6:30PM
Over the last twenty years, actor, writer, comedian and presenter Michael Palin has made it his mission to celebrate and explore the work of under-appreciated artists. Here, Palin is in conversation with journalist and broadcaster Martha Kearney, discussing why he fell in love with painting, and why he thinks the medium suits the small screen.
Read more and book
Grayson and Philippa Perry
Grayson Perry and Philippa Perry in conversation
Thursday 2 May | 7PM – 8:15PM
Artist Grayson Perry is in conversation with his wife, psychotherapist and author Philippa Perry, discussing the relationship between art and psychotherapy – and the common misconceptions surrounding both. The event is being chaired by the RA’s Artistic Director Tim Marlow.
Read more and book
Ken Loach
Friday 3 May | 12:30PM –1:30PM
Award-winning director Ken Loach joins writer and critic Francine Stock to talk about his 50-year career and the widely differing reactions that his films – including The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) and I, Daniel Blake (2016) – have provoked.
Read more and book
Dame Jacqueline Wilson
Friday 3 May | 4:30PM – 5:30PM
Former Children’s Laureate Jacqueline Wilson is one of Britain’s best-loved children’s authors. Known for her contemporary stories that tackle serious topics including adoption, divorce and mental illness, she speaks to children directly about real issues. Here she talks to BBC arts correspondent Rebecca Jones about the secrets behind creating her memorable characters and why she’ll never stop writing.
Read more and book
Kwame Kwei-Armah, artistic director of the Young Vic
Artistic director of the Young Vic: Kwame Kwei-Armah
Friday 3 May | 6:30PM – 7:30PM
Kwame Kwei-Armah had spent decades working as an actor, director, writer and producer before he was appointed artistic director of the Young Vic in 2018. Here, Kwei-Armah talks about his commitment to promoting greater diversity in theatre, his passion for storytelling and the positive role that art can play in troubled times.
Read more and book
Rewriting the past: Sarah Dunant and Kate Mosse
Saturday 4 May | 1:30PM – 2:30PM
Two of the UK’s best-selling historical novelists discuss their very different approaches to their exploration of the past. Sarah Dunant is the author of several novels set in Renaissance Italy that explore women’s lives through art, sex and religion; Kate Mosse is the author of the multimillion-selling Languedoc Trilogy.
Read more and book
Designing a best-selling children’s book: Lauren Child and David Mackintosh
Sunday 5 May | 10:30AM –11:30AM
For the past decade, author, illustrator and Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Lauren Child, has collaborated with designer David Mackintosh on some of Child’s best-loved books. In this event, the pair take the audience through specific scenes in Child’s popular Charlie and Lola series, revealing how her early storyboard ideas are transformed into beautiful books.
Read more and book
Lauren Child and David Mackintosh
How the education system is crushing creativity: Michael Rosen
Sunday 5 May | 12:30PM – 1:30PM
Michael Rosen is one of Britain’s best-loved children’s authors. He was the children’s laureate from 2007 – 2009 and is best-known for We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. A poet and the author of 200 books, he has recently published his memoir So They Call You Pisher!. Here, Rosen examines how the education system is strangling the arts.
Read more and book
The Future of Feminism
Sunday 5 May | 4:30PM - 5:30PM
Leading feminists and writers Yomi Adegoke, Laura Bates, Candice Carty-Williams and Natalie Haynes discuss what it means to be a woman in the in the era of Trump and #MeToo, and how they see the future of feminism.
Read more and book
Michael Palin: art on the small screen
Monday 6 May | 5:30PM - 6:30PM
Over the last twenty years, actor, writer, comedian and presenter Michael Palin has made it his mission to celebrate and explore the work of under-appreciated artists. Here, Palin is in conversation with journalist and broadcaster Martha Kearney, discussing why he fell in love with painting, and why he thinks the medium suits the small screen.
Read more and book
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| What | Festival of Ideas, Royal Academy |
| Where | Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Green Park (underground) |
| When |
02 May 19 – 06 May 19, Times vary for specific events |
| Price | ££ |
| Website | Read more and book |